Life Imitates Art
by Jennifer Hart
Summary: A popular movie in theatres leads to a lighthearted moment between Nick and Holly. Set January, 2003.


**Title: Life Imitates Art**

**Rating: G**

**Classification: Humor/General**

**Spoilers: None, but assumes Holly survived in the pilot.**

**Disclaimers: I don't own LOTR and I don't own CSI, I'm just married to Grissom. (Don't I wish!)**

**Summary: Set January 2003. A popular movie leads to a light-hearted exchange between Nick and Holly.**

**A/N: If you've never seen _Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers_, this story will make no sense whatsoever.**

"So, did you see it?"

Those were Nick's first words as Holly entered the room, accompanied by a huge grin.

"I saw it," she replied, her voice neutral.

The grin got even wider. "And?"

"And…it was awesome!" Holly's face broke into a huge smile. "I loved it."

Nick chuckled with glee. "I knew it! See, I told you." He stood up from where he'd been bending over the microscope. "So what did you think of Gollum?"

"The freak is nuts," was Holly's prompt response.

"Aw no, you just don't understand him," Nick protested.

"What's to understand? His supposed promise to Frodo was a load of crap. And whereas at the beginning he had only two personalities – now he's got three." Holly rolled her eyes. "And one's female."

"What do you mean?" Nick frowned. "There's only two – Smeagol and Gollum. Both male."

"Well then who was the 'she' he was going to get to kill Frodo at the end of it?

Recognition lit Nick's eyes. "Oh. Ohhh!" He tried unsuccessfully to hold a laugh back.

"What's so funny?" Holly protested.

"Sorry." There was still a grin on Nick's face though as he added, "Holly, I don't want to give away the end of the next movie for you. Let's just say he's _not_ referring to himself."

"Okaaay." Holly gestured to the microscope. "So what's in there?"

"Oh, I was comparing a couple of fibers," Nick replied.

"And – get anything?"

"Uh-huh." A gleam came into Nick's eye. "Mur-der-er."

Nick's voice as he said the last word – low, hoarse, and heavy on the helium – was so similar to Gollum's identical quote that Holly was overcome with giggles. "Nick!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Nick asked, his voice back to normal and full of injured innocence.

Holly just shook her head and Nick switched back to the Gollum voice. "What's it saying, my love?"

Holly closed her eyes and struggled to keep her laughter down. "Get help."

Nick put a hand to his heart like he'd been wounded. "Cruel Holly hurts us. Holly _tricksed_ us!"

"Stop it!"

Nick's hand moved up so that he was patting himself on the shoulder. "I told you she was tricksy, I told you she was false," he soothed. Across the room Holly let out a snort.

"Holly's supposed to be our friend." Nick's voice was mournful. "Our friend." A look at Holly showed she was shaking with laughter. Encouraged, Nick went on, "You don't have any friends."

"Nick, please, my stomach hurts!" Holly pleaded.

"I'm not listening." Nick's hands were over his ears. "I'm not listening."

"That's it – I'm out of here." Holly started backing towards the door.

"Away she goes, precious!" Holly burst into a fresh round of laughter as Nick attempted a series of Gollum-like cartwheels. "Gone, gone, gone! Smeagol's—" He stopped short at the sight of the figure standing behind Holly. "Oh crap."

Holly followed his gaze and jumped to the side, startled. "Grissom!" All laughter was gone now as Nick quickly scrambled to his feet.

"Lockwood just called in a shooting over at the Bellagio." The supervisor's expression remained neutral, giving no hint of what he was thinking. "Multiple victims. Catherine's waiting for you in the parking lot."

"Right," Holly said immediately, at the same time as Nick replied, "On it."

Grissom nodded, satisfied, and turned to leave, then added over his shoulder, "You don't want to leave _her_ to do it by herself."

Then he was gone – leaving two openmouthed CSIs staring after him.

THE END

**A/N: This story is currently fiction – but only because I haven't been caught in this predicament _yet_.**


End file.
